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Or does it screw up the rest of its internal biology and lead the animal into a decline?" For instance, a bird may have adapted to forage for insects using a small, delicate beak. Van Valen's law: Inescapable extinction In the 1970s, the late biologist Leigh Van Valen reached a surprising conclusion: a species that has been on Earth for a few million years, proving itself to be a successful survivor, is just as likely to go extinct as a species that appeared just a few thousand years ago. Doing so suggests that members of large animal species that become isolated on islands tend to shrink, while small animal species tend to grow. Allen's rule: Shape-shifting to keep cool In the 1870s, zoologist Joel Asalph Allen noted something unusual about the birds and mammals of North America. [Extracted from the article]

Features IT WAS the first day of 2023 and John Mittermeier was feeling dispirited. However, Mittermeier, who works for ABC, recently made another rediscovery of a bird that, although not on the most-wanted list, shows why even long-lost birds can't be written off. Excitement and panic When Mittermeier spotted a pair of birds in undergrowth there, he knew right away they were dusky tetraka. Briggs believes this can pay dividends, pointing to an unsuccessful 2021 search for the Sinú parakeet, a Colombian bird missing since 1949, that recorded 30 bird species not officially seen before in the Córdoba area. [Extracted from the article]

It may be that such a rapid shift was possible because the Permian-Triassic mass extinction reduced diversity in the oceans, creating an opportunity for gigantic animals to evolve, which the ichthyosaurs seized. The Permian-Triassic extinction meant that, at the start of the Triassic, the oceans had been virtually stripped of animal life. Small animals eat the phytoplankton, then larger animals eat the small animals, and so on. In 2018, Lomax and his colleagues described a single bone of Wahlisaurus massarae, another big species from the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, although exactly how large is still unclear. [Extracted from the article]

And yet global meat and fish consumption is still rising, plans are afoot for the world's first octopus farm and escalating climate change is driving many animals to extinction. Features PETER SINGER's book Animal Liberation was a "philosophical bombshell" when it came out in 1975, according to activist Ingrid Newkirk, who says it "made people - myself included - change what we ate, what we wore and how we perceived animals". And it's doing harm to a lot of people - particularly to some of the poorest people in the world, who have the lowest greenhouse gas footprints, but also the least ability to overcome the problems of climate change. [Extracted from the article]

Rafflesia is a parasitic plant that has the largest flowers in the world, but little is known about its life cycle and it is difficult to grow. Many Rafflesia species have come close to extinction, with habitat destruction being a major threat. Protecting habitats and involving local community action groups are important for monitoring populations. While most plants can be protected in seed banks or botanic gardens, Rafflesia is a challenging parasite to cultivate. However, a botanic garden in Bogor, Indonesia has successfully grown Rafflesia by grafting infected vines onto uninfected rootstocks. Researchers from the University of Oxford Botanic Garden and the University of the Philippines are attempting to propagate Rafflesia species in the Philippines to prevent their extinction. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the issue of species extinction and the efforts being made to protect endangered species. The author questions whether every species is necessary and explores the idea of prioritizing species for conservation based on their uniqueness and genetic diversity. The article emphasizes the importance of preserving all species, even those that may not seem as charismatic or special, due to the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the long-term consequences of extinction. The author concludes that the responsibility lies in addressing the root causes of extinction and making efforts to save as many species as possible. [Extracted from the article]

According to the United Nations State of the World's Migratory Species report, hundreds of migratory species, including humpback whales and wandering albatrosses, are facing threats due to human activity. Almost half of the migratory animals on the UN's list of vulnerable species are experiencing population declines, and a quarter are at risk of extinction. These animals face various dangers along their migratory routes, such as electrocution, environmental poisoning, habitat loss, and illegal hunting. Overfishing, pollution, habitat loss, and climate change are the main factors contributing to these alarming trends. However, there are potential solutions, such as reducing light pollution and changing fishing gear, that could help mitigate these threats. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the extinction of Gigantopithecus blacki, the largest known primate, which occurred between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago. The researchers suggest that the species failed to adapt its food preferences to a changing climate, leading to its demise. By studying the teeth and jawbone fragments of G. blacki found in caves in southern China, the researchers determined that increased environmental variability and a lack of availability of their preferred food caused chronic stress in the species. The article also addresses the geographical range of G. blacki and the limitations of studying fossils from China alone. [Extracted from the article]

The article describes how the misconception of nature and wilderness is harming all life, including the human species. Topics covered include how the Homo sapiens and climate shifts contributed to extinctions of megafauna, how human ancestors evolved mutually beneficial relationships with several species that changed both parties and the issues on indigenous land management. It also points out how to make good environmental decisions and save nature.

A warming world is piling pressure on already struggling biodiversity. We need to tackle both problems together, finds Michael Le Page [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stories of species brought back from near-extinction show we can help nature turn the corner, says Adam Vaughan [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The researchers say the snake is a separate species called the Nyanga rinkhals (Hemachatus nyangensis) that probably diverged from other rinkhals between 7 and 14 million years ago (PLoS One, doi.org/kxvs). Zoology A HOODED, venom-spitting snake that was pickled and has been at a museum in Zimbabwe for 40 years has been identified as a new species based on DNA analysis. [Extracted from the article]

Hidden from sight, an overlooked group of giants is in peril. What can be done to stop the megafish extinction, asks Graham Lawton [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Richardson and her colleagues propose that a safe limit for this exploitation by humans would be 10 per cent of pre-industrial plant biomass, and that anything over 20 per cent is high risk. News Environment WE ARE now consuming over a quarter of the biomass produced each year by plants on land, leaving too little for wildlife and putting at risk the biosphere on which all life on Earth depends. To keep the planet in a suitable state for civilisation, we should be using no more than a tenth of plant biomass, say researchers. [Extracted from the article]

Water won't flow smoothly between the fingers due to their boundary layers, which act like invisible webbing, thus increasing the effective size of the hand. Even though the surface area may be similar, your individual fingers are more "aqua-dynamic" than the flat paddle that is formed by fingers held tightly together. David Muir Edinburgh, UK Fluid dynamics can be counterintuitive due to the effects of boundary layers. [Extracted from the article]

News Humans ON 15 November, the world will pass a major milestone, as the human population hits 8 billion for the first time. Researchers agree that fertility rates will keep falling all around the world, but the UN sees them falling more slowly than others, says Stein Emil Vollset, who led the IHME forecast. Migration to wealthy nations has been preventing population declines in many such countries, but Sciubba doesn't think it will be allowed to increase enough to prevent these populations falling in the future. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the impact that roads and infrastructure have on the environment, including environmental degradation and damage to animal habitats from roads. An overview of the impact that the construction of the Batang Toro hydroelectric dam, Indonesia may have on causing the extinction of Tapanuli orangutans in northern Sumatra, Indonesia is provided.

The article discusses the negative effects human activity has had on biodiversity. It provides information on the history of biodiversity as a concept within biology before looking at how extinction risks have increased due to human influences, with particular attention given to the insect population.

Most spider species on Earth today belong to one of two groups: the heavy-bodied mygalomorph spiders - such as tarantulas and funnel-web spiders - and the araneomorph spider species, many of which spin intricate, sticky webs. Animals THREE species of an ancient group of spiders, all native to Hunan province in China, have now been described. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on aspects of the state of freshwater mussels to become extinct in the U.S. It explores the effort of researchers from Ohio State University in raising a number of mussel larvae in dishes at the Freshwater Mussel Convention and Research Center at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio. It also mentions that the mussels are growing old and dying without producing offspring and some of the most endangered lifeforms on Earth.

The article discusses whether polar bears are facing extinction due to climate change or rising in number. Though the International Union for Conservation of Nature has long considered polar bears vulnerable to extinction, several subpopulations across the Arctic Ocean show a totally different picture. There is uncertainty over the population of polar bears across the 19 Arctic subpopulations, however, in some places numbers are stable or increasing.

The dinosaur with the longest neck A sauropod from the Late Jurassic epoch, Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum, had the longest neck of any dinosaur on record, stretching 15.1 metres. Windows filled with wood are warmer A transparent aerogel made from wood could replace air in doubleglazed windows. Red goshawks - colourful birds of prey that are endemic to Australia - have been rapidly vanishing from the continent for decades. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the extinction of Gigantopithecus blacki, the largest known primate, which occurred between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago. The researchers attribute the extinction to the species' inability to adapt its food preferences to a changing climate. By studying teeth and bone fragments, the researchers determined that the ape experienced chronic stress due to a lack of its preferred food, leading to its demise. The article also dispels the idea that hominins may have contributed to the extinction and acknowledges that the fossils studied only represent a limited geographical region. [Extracted from the article]

MAMMALS survived the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs by evolutionarily hedging their bets, generating an array of varied species that set them up to weather the prehistoric apocalypse, according to a new analysis. "It not only amazed me how mammals managed to thrive in the highly complex, and probably dangerous, dinosaur-dominated ecosystems", says García-Girón, but also how rapidly our ancestors moved into vacant niches after the asteroid hit. [Extracted from the article]

CELLS with the potential to form sperm and eggs have been derived from northern white rhino skin, raising hopes that lab-grown embryos could help efforts to save the animals from extinction. Another possible way to produce embryos would be to turn skin cells from northern white rhinos into stem cells, which have the ability to turn into various types of specialist cell. [Extracted from the article]

Vijaysree Venkatraman is a science journalist based in Boston, Massachusetts PHOTO (COLOR): Throughout our history, humans have been afraid of the dark This successful model, Eklöf writes, suggests we cam use thoughtful design to regulate light exposure, meeting our need for both light and darkness. In his book The Darkness Manifesto, originally published in Swedish two years ago, Johan Eklöf, a bat scientist and conservationist, makes the case that when lights are on around the clock, in cities, the countryside or even offshore, the circadian rhythm of all beings on Earth changes. [Extracted from the article]

Esvelt began thinking about the risks of biotechnology in 2013, when he used CRISPR gene-editing to create the first artificial gene drive, a technology that could be used to drive species to extinction (see page 20). News Profile Kevin Esvelt is a geneticist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and created the first artificial gene drive THE world must take the threat of pandemic terrorism more seriously, a leading geneticist has warned. Kevin Esvelt at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says the ability to take the DNA sequence of a virus from a database, turn it into a living virus and intentionally infect people with it is an extremely serious threat. [Extracted from the article]

Sharks have existed for almost half a billion years, riding out numerous cataclysmic mass extinctions. Lucas Joel investigates the secrets of their extraordinary success [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research on the extinction of cave bears, which suggests that the bears may have been herbivores, making it difficult for them to build up enough fat to survive long winter months of torpor in their caves as the Earth's climate rapidly changed from hot and dry to cold and wet during the Pleistocene.

Pereira and her colleagues looked at about 3400 fossils, representing 82 living and 908 extinct species, to see how extinction rates changed. OUR ancestors may have been wiping out other species long before modern humans evolved, suggests a new analysis. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the discovery of the endangered toads in Central America known as Atelopus (or harlequin frogs) by herpetologist Twan Leenders and photographer Clay Bolt, which were thought to have been extinct. An overview of the population declines of tropical frogs and toads, including the impact that chytrid strain Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis had on Atelopus,is provided.

They found many monk seal populations shrank to a tenth or less of their original size between 800 BC and AD 600 - a period that saw the rise of civilisations and widespread seafaring in the Mediterranean basin. THE rarest seal species in the world started its population decline millennia ago, possibly due to the rise of ancient human civilisations. [Extracted from the article]

Robinson and her colleagues analysed 20 vacquita genomes, which came mostly from animals that died between 1985 and 2017. When vacquita by-catch deaths were reduced by 80 per cent, the species went extinct in more than half of the simulations, they found. THERE are only 10 vacquitas left in the world, but a genetic analysis suggests the small porpoises aren't necessarily doomed to extinction - so long as they stop getting ensnared in fishing nets. [Extracted from the article]

Plants targeted include in-demand Californian succulents, carnivorous pitcher plants found in the Philippines and endangered species such as succulent button plants and lithops in South Africa. Plant removal affects the insect and bird populations that pollinate the plants and rely on them for food and habitation. I also pay close attention to whether plants will require me to enrich my soil with peat - a major unsustainable gardening product that is found in almost every gardening centre - or if I will be able to use more sustainable compost. [Extracted from the article]

For the last 5 years, our international reforestation charity has worked with some amazing tree planting communities in rural Kenya. It ensures the fast-growing trees we commission the planting of are nurtured and cared for to maturity. [Extracted from the article]

But Bertrand's team has discovered that the brain size of the mammals stayed about the same even as their bodies grew. AFTER the asteroid-triggered mass extinction 66 million years ago that wiped out most of the dinosaurs, small surviving mammal species underwent an evolutionary explosion. Ornella Bertrand at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and her colleagues looked at CT scans of mammal skulls from before and after this extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous. [Extracted from the article]

An effort to reconstruct the genome of the Christmas Island rat suggests we will never be able to resurrect lost animals just as they were, finds Michael Le Page [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Katsuhiko Hayashi's creation of baby mice using eggs made from reprogrammed mouse skin cells, and his plans to use the biotechnology technique to resurrect extinct animals.

This section offers news briefs pertaining to scientific findings in various publications, as of December 2021, including how trees help cities stay much cooler in "Nature Communications," on the suggestion of a computer model that the monsoon that hits Mexico and the south-west U.S. each summer is caused by the flow of air over the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains in Mexico in "Nature" and how extinctions of giant bison and other herbivores in the past raised wildfire risks in "Science."

An impaled turtle is among the latest finds from a geological site claimed to document the day a space rock slammed into Earth 66 million years ago, reports Bas den Hond [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on several research projects which have been conducted in various locations across the globe in an effort to understand the wooly mammoth and the factors that may have led to its extinction. A brief history of the mammoth's existence on Earth is presented. A lack of knowledge which exists about the actual cause of the wooly mammoth's extinction is discussed. INSET: WHAT KILLED THE NEGAFAUNA?.

The article discusses the causes of mass extinctions, focusing on the end-Permian extinction, in which 80 to 90 percent of species died, and the Cretaceous-Tertiary (KT) boundary extinction, in which the dinosaurs died. A study by the physicist Luis Alvarez argued that the high level of iridium from the KT boundary indicated that the mass extinction was caused by the impact of a very large meteorite, while the Ordovician and Devonian extinctions have been linked to ice ages and anoxia.

The article discusses biodiversity loss due to human action, noting the human history of killing other species and the accelerated pace of such destruction in contemporary times. Humans are said to have become the driving force in the evolution of species. Statistics are reported on the number of threatened species including 10 percent of birds, 20 percent of mammals, and a third of all amphibians. Future stresses on biodiversity associated with climate change are noted, with commentary on likely extinctions quoted from researchers Chris Thomas and David Jablonski.

The article discusses how the human activity is affecting the Earth. It states that humanity's footprint on the natural world leads to ecological collapse and a mass extinction. The biggest worry of climatologists is said to be the possibility that global warming could push the Earth past two tipping points that would make things worse. Also cited is a study by James Kirchner and colleagues on how closely peaks of speciation follow peaks of extinction.

The article presents the discussion on extinctions and ensuring humanity living in harmony with nature reforming planning systems for protecting species, ending farming subsidies driving wildlife losses, and boosting conservation funding.

Nearly a third of the world's oceans and land should be protected by 2030 to stem extinctions and ensure humanity lives in harmony with nature, 195 countries say in a proposed UN plan [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]